Identifying a book’s theme might seem a simple affair but a story’s main idea can be easily confused with other aspects of the work such as the book’s subject or lesson. What differentiates a theme from the two is that a theme brings together all aspects of the story. Identifying a theme also goes beyond merely determining the subject of the work but also the writer’s viewpoint of the subject discussed in the book.

Different themes in a story:

In reality, most stories contain more than one theme. These can be categorized into major and minor themes. A major theme is constantly addressed in the work through the story’s elements such as characterization and it brings together the whole story. Minor themes, on the other hand, only appear for a while in a story and are not constantly repeated such as in the case of major themes. They also do not play a significant role in unifying the parts of the story.

The Process:

1. When identifying a book’s theme, begin by reading the whole story. You cannot identify the main theme by only reading a part of the book as the main themes constantly appear in the book even towards the end.

2. Summarize the book’s plot. How would you describe the story’s scenes, characters, settings, etc.? What is the book’s main plot?

3. Identify the subject addressed in the book. The subject is the main topic that is explored in the work. Subjects can include friendship, marriage, death, drug addiction, racism, etc.

4. Identify the moral behind the story. This will give you the author’s perspective on the subject. You can do this by examining the main character’s growth process. Is there something significant that they learn in their journey? Have they changed in a crucial way that adds to the story?

5. Examine the author’s opinion of the subject. For instance, what was the protagonist’s final realization? The end is a great place to identify the writer’s viewpoint.

6. Evaluate whether the theme is connected to all aspects of the plot.

Illustration: Life on Ampelus by Grant Winston:

Summary: In the book, a group of scientists is sent to another planet to collect data and develop information by a self-seeking governor who plans the earth’s domination of the planet.

Subject: The book’s subject is ecological sustainability. In this case, the scientists work hard to learn about the foreign species on the planet and hope to protect these from extinction through human interference.

The moral behind the story: The story proposes that ecological protection should be prioritized over the dominance of other species and also over political objectives.

What the scientists learn: The scientists, recognizing the governor’s objective, work to sabotage his aim. They learn to value the species and are ready to risk their lives to protect it.

Connection to other elements in the work: Throughout the book, the description contained as well as the dialogue marvel at the creatures. The main characters also aim at protecting the species and the planet at all costs, which creates conflict in the work.